Kalka students want Gandhi Memorial Library upgraded

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 19

Students of the Kalka sub-division have been demanding the authorities to upgrade Gandhi Memorial Library, which was set up in 1949. They say a lot of time and money is wasted because they have to visit Chandigarh for books.

People are facing problems due to lack of national and international books and other facilities at the library. Earlier, the Kalka Municipal Council was responsible for maintaining the library, now it is maintained by the Municipal Corporation. The library is also facing the shortage of staff.

Anisha Sharma, a student of Government College, Kalka, said after she joined a graduation programme, she visited the library, but was disappointed over lack of good books. She said the government should upgrade the library and order latest national and international books.

Sagar Sonkar, another student from the Kalka Government College, said a majority of the students have to visit libraries in Chandigarh as the local library lacks books on current national and international affairs. He said: “This not only results in the wastage of time, but students also have to miss the classes.”

The library in Kalka was set up 70 years ago with the efforts of social activist Kapoor Chand Jain to commemorate the Mahavir Jayanti. The land for the library was gifted to the government and the same was inaugurated by the then Ambala Commissioner Nawab Singh on April 19, 1949.

Congress leader Vijay Bansal said in 2008, the then Education Minister Mangeram Gupta had written the to the state government for upgrading the library. He said: “Almost all sub-divisions in Haryana have their libraries. So, the years’ old library should be upgraded for the Kalka sub-division.” He said he had sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister seeking the upgrade of the library, but no action has been taken so far.

Bansal said the Municipal Corporation should pass a resolution to handover the library to the state government which should bear all expenses related to maintenance and salaries of the staff. He said this would help in reducing financial burden on the MC, besides improving facilities at the Gandhi Library.